Abstract

Written reflections of 113 occupational therapy clinical doctoral students who graduated from an online program between 2007 and 2013 were analyzed for themes which reflected transformative learning and characteristics of curricular design which promoted transformative learning. Qualitative analyses of written reflections were performed. Several themes emerged which are presented using the framework of Person/Learner, Environment/Learning Context, and Occupation/Engagement in Learning Activities. Strategies such as active learning; assignments that directly apply to students’ work settings; implementation of a cohort model; and use of reflection, dialog, and project implementation appear to be effective in facilitating transformative learning in an online clinical doctoral program.

Highlights

  • Allied health professionals who are working in professions such as nursing, physical or occupational therapy have many choices in today’s educational environment when considering options for advanced degrees

  • If one chooses to enter a traditional Doctor of Philosophy program, the educational experience will be significantly different than enrollment in a clinical doctorate delivered in an online format

  • As a way of having students critically reflect, a portion of the last chapter of the written capstone project is titled “Final Reflections” in which students reflect on their experience in the program. Review of these written reflections formed the basis for this current study exploring transformative learning in this online doctoral program

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Summary

Introduction

Allied health professionals who are working in professions such as nursing, physical or occupational therapy have many choices in today’s educational environment when considering options for advanced degrees. If one chooses to enter a traditional Doctor of Philosophy program (i.e. face to face coursework, comprehensive exams, writing/defending a research dissertation, etc.), the educational experience will be significantly different than enrollment in a clinical doctorate delivered in an online format. In an online clinical doctoral program, communication between instructors and students

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